Alta Devices solar tech for UAV project
Alta Devices’ flexible and lightweight solar technology has been selected by the US Naval Research Laboratory to power its Hybrid Tiger UAV, the company announced on 14 May.
The Hybrid Tiger project is developing a group-2 UAV that will be able to stay airborne for a minimum of three and a half days.
The programme will use high-efficiency flexible solar cells, a hydrogen fuel cell and energy-aware guidance algorithms.
The planned demonstration of the Hybrid Tiger will include flights over multiple days without using traditional fuels, during the winter solstice and as far North as 50° latitude to highlight how extreme endurance UAV flight can be achieved using hybridisation of solar photovoltaics, a hydrogen fuel cell and autonomous soaring algorithms, regardless of latitude or time of year.
The multi-day endurance technology will enable applications such as low altitude communications, atmospheric research and SAR missions.
Technologies developed for the project will also be applicable for other unmanned vehicles.
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